[teamdicky]

The full story is here:
https://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=2714

I just copied what I thought was interesting and the schedule. Nifty little group of events they got together. My hometown race is even on the board (I've done the Cowbell 12 hour every single year). Keep in mind, The Cowbell was "The Cowbell" before cowbell was cool.

Not sure what it all means, or if anyone will be tempted to "chase the series". I guess at least they are trying to keep up with where the cycling world is going.

"With over $200,000 in prize money on the line, the calendars encompass all disciplines of competitive off-road cycling and are divided into three primary categories - cross country, gravity and ultra endurance."

"The ultra endurance calendar, which consists of 62-mile races, marathons and 12- and 24-hour races, includes six events."

"As in the cross country calendar, the gravity calendar and ultra endurance calendar will also crown overall champions at season's end."

USA Cycling MTB National Ultra Endurance Calendar

15-17/Feb Mas O Menos 100k Terlingua TX 100k Desert Sports/Mike Long 432.371.2727 [email protected] www.desertsportsx.com cat 1

17-Feb 12-Hours of Razorback Reddick FL 12-Hour Gone Riding/David Berger 352.873.9279 [email protected] www.goneriding.com cat 1

21-22/Apr Payson Stampede Payson AZ 24-Hour Tucson Racing/Jon Grinder 928.607.6737 [email protected] www.tucsonracing.com cat 1

28-Apr Dirt, Sweat and Gears Fayetteville TN 12-hour Clay Higgins 931.993.9571 [email protected] www.dirtsweatandgears.com cat 1

23-Jun Cowbell Challenge Charlotte NC 12-hour Taylor Sullivan 704.522.2006 [email protected] www.cowbellchallenge.org cat 1

28-Jul Galena Grinder Ketchum ID marathon Cynthia Gibson 208.336.5821 [email protected] www.knobbytireseries.com cat 1

 

[allan8147]

Does this mean we won't be able to race with ipods at these event?

www.ashevilleallan.blogspot.com

 

[KERKOVEJ]

So does this mean I have to buy one of those $60 licenses. Dang.

Cool, though. Good to see USAC finally taking enduro racing seriously. Now we just need more marathon events similar to the Euro format.

 

[vzman]

i read something about that no mp3 players . i thought that was only for cyclecross,road and track.
i also heard a rumor that norba is trying to become completely seperated fron usacycling:skep: any word on this

 

[Joe_Jitsu]

I'm not impressed...

Several events are too close together in time and too far apart in space to attend both: the texas race and Razorback are the same weekend, Dirt, Sweat and Gears is one week after a 24-hr race. This is just silly.

Michigan is left out; no venues in the state, no races within easy driving distance.

On the plus side, it looks like they selected quality events. None that I have done, but several that have been on my radar for the past couple of years.

Just my $.02,

Joe

 

[teamdicky]

Does this mean we won't be able to race with ipods at these event?

www.ashevilleallan.blogspot.com

I really got the feeling that rule was for road, track, and cyclocross (for now?).

 

[kretzel]

Payson date?

anyone who is right? USAC says April, the race website says May 5. I assume the USAC checked more recently.

 

[kretzel]

other thoughts

Other random musings on this -

Most of the events on the list seem like relative newcomers, not big established ones. Maybe they see this as a way to try to get established. Will they stay with NOBRA once they do? Time will tell.

Is the National Marathon championship one of these events? I hear marathon natz is not being held with all the other events at Mt Snow this year. Would seem really odd if it were not one of these races. Not like I will plan around it but just interested. I'm devoting my limited race travel time to a little race from Fruita to Moab.

Cheers,

 

[teamdicky]

Other random musings on this -

Most of the events on the list seem like relative newcomers, not big established ones. Maybe they see this as a way to try to get established.

The only one I know about for sure is the Cowbell. This will be it's 5th year. Taylor has done a great job of establishing it as one of the better endurance races in the south. Entry fees are cheap, champion chip timing, and some good schwag. This year I would imagine the start/finish will be near the US National Whitewater Center's megalo-complex.

 

[namrita]

plus...it looks like the Ketchum ID marathon is the same weekend as NORBA 24 hour nationals...

 

[sprocketjockey9]

Nice that they could bring something to the Northeast!!:madman:

 

[alizbee]

I'm devoting my limited race travel time to a little race from Fruita to Moab.

:thumbsup:

 

[w_taylor_s]

cowbell

we got some good ideas in the works for the cowbell race this year... details coming soon...
thank you for the support rich. (we even got some money for you single speed guys too.)

 

[Scottytheoneandonly]

I mean no offense to any of the promoters of any of these events. We've been contemplating doing several of them since well before the USA Cyling calendar announcment. But this doesn't seem like much of a national level series. Granny Gear has a series. The National Endurance Series is a series. USA cycling throwing sanction to a handfull of random races, though, feels more like an afterthought.

What makes much of "ultra" racing what it is is the LACK OF norba or uci rules or sanctioning.

 

[Vecsus]

glad none of the races I was planning to do are on that list. The no MP3 player thing is a show-stopper for me. When I am on the bike longer than 4 hours i need music or random songs start to play in my head...and they're not the tunes I want to listen to.

 

[teamdicky]

glad none of the races I was planning to do are on that list. The no MP3 player thing is a show-stopper for me. When I am on the bike longer than 4 hours i need music or random songs start to play in my head...and they're not the tunes I want to listen to.

The MP3 rule is just road, track, and cyclocross.

 

[RANOACLAN]

National Endo series

I think USA Cycling putting on the series in the first place is a good thing for cycling. Hopefully they will really add to the promoters races rather than just tag a series. Who knows maybe an endurance event could be in the Olympic future. There are so many Endurance racs popping up around the country it would be great to somehow link a national series with a variety of types of events. There can be such a festival feel to endurance events. Which is good for racers and cycling. By the racers & for the racers!

 

[PhuSho]

Single Dingle

There's big cheese in TN. I'll be pumping the primus on the two-way. :thumbsup:

 

[the toninator]

Most of the events on the list seem like relative newcomers, not big established ones. Maybe they see this as a way to try to get established. Will they stay with NOBRA once they do? Time will tell.

Cheers,

The terlingua race has been around in one form or another for like 20 years or something. I think it was called the Lajitas race before. Mr Will Black loves it.

 

[EnduroDoug]

I noticed the Idaho race says the marathon is for Pros, Semi-Pros, and Experts only. Is there anything stopping anybody from registering as an Expert? I'm new to the racing scene, what constitutes a semi-pro versus an expert? And how does one become an Expert instead of just a Sport?